This invention relates to modular building systems, and more particularly to a method for identifying, selecting and modifying information from construction documents describing a structure, using the information to select modular formworks, and to instruct artisans in the erection of the modular formworks for the construction of the structure described by the construction documents.
As illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,930,970 and 5,833,872 issued to Patrick Delefevre, a modular building system is described in which various panels, floors, ceilings and other structural components are formed through the utilization of formworks provided by prefabricated apertured panels, channels, beams, and buttressing apparatus which are positioned with mating apertures and plugs to eliminate the time consuming measuring associated with prior formworks. The system described in the above patents permit the forming of concrete so as to provide walls, floors and ceilings as well as other structures that make up a building.
Inherent in the above processes is the utilization of modular panels, channels and other components which are standardized in the sense of having predetermined dimensions. There still remains the problem of going from the original structure as defined by an original set of construction documents, drawings and the like, to the construction of the final building structure. It will be appreciated that architects and structural engineers provide architectural, engineering and other types of drawings to specify the type of building to be built. These drawings do not necessarily take into account any modular concepts, at least in so far as the forming of the walls, ceilings, floors and supporting members of the final structure.
In the past, modular buildings have been undesirably similar because of the modules utilized. In most cases, the modules are designed with respect to the final building to be built, as opposed to being universally adaptable for any type of building. Thus, modular buildings tend to look the same and function the same, thereby severely limiting the ability of architects, structural engineers and owners to create new structures while at the same time taking advantage of modular techniques.
It will be appreciated that as many as 10,000 items of information may be necessary to completely specify all of the components in a particular building. For modular buildings, these decisions are pre-made, which is why modular building techniques have limited the ability of the architect and the engineer to alter the appearance, size and shape of the building. As will be appreciated, the shear enormity of numbers of items to be specified for a given building limits the use of modular components by architects and structural engineers, such that modular systems, when employed, were used at the expense of architectural and engineering creativity.
While modular systems have existed in the past, in general, they limit flexibility. The system described in the above patents permits great flexibility, because the dimensions of the formworks can be varied, provided by the nature of the specialized modular elements. For instance, a formwork wall can be compound of a number of uniform panels, with the last panel being of a different width. Alternatively, the channels which meet the panels may be provided with sides to overlap the abutting panels, thus to hide spaces between the end of a panel and the next panel so that a shorter panel can be used.
Rather than having the modules themselves specify the type of building to be built, in the subject invention, the original construction drawings are used to specify the modular components, with the original drawings being altered to conform to the available modular components. In one embodiment, the original construction drawings are input either by scanning the drawings or using CAD outputs, with each of the building components within the architect""s drawings being identified and ordered in a predetermined manner so as to be able to specify the modular formworks utilized to construct the building. Note that identification of building components is automatic if the original construction drawings are done from a CAD process. If drawings are scanned in, then either manual or automatic techniques are used to identify the building components, then dimensions and other characteristics.
To this end, a method is provided to identify such building components in a logical fashion, and to provide the components with specialized reference numerals, with each of the numbers representing a component such as a floor, wall, or ceiling and utility component; the reference numerals also specify what area of the structure these components are to be placed. This is done by virtue of sub-dividing the original drawing into the smallest information possible. For instance, the construction drawings can be subdivided into such items as levels or floors, the type of architectural drawing, the plan number, the volume of the room, the room number, the surfaces of the walls, the corners of the walls, and the intersection lines between surfaces as well as other items. Thus, for instance, a particular wall in a particular room at a particular building level can be specified as to not only the wall, including its dimensions and configuration, but also the reinforcements associated with the wall as well as apertures in the wall for conduits, switch block and other items.
Once the original construction documents have been characterized by reference numerals in a logical fashion, the entire structure can be analyzed for discrepancies of the original documents to be able to make corrections and modifications. For instance, dimensional discrepancies can be ascertained, drawing discrepancies in the scanned in drawings can be detected and building code guidelines can be analyzed to assure that the resulting structure does not violate any local building code. Thereafter, the original construction documents can be corrected. This provides a base line upon which to revise the dimensions of each of the building components involved so as to match them or conform them to the modular components available in the particular modular construction scheme employed.
Thereafter, additional information or alternative designs can be specified, with the additional information and alternatives being a revision to the module-matched information, as opposed to the original construction documents. Finally, instructions are generated to enable an artisan to build the required formworks through the utilization of the available modular formwork components, with the instructions including the operations to be performed, a selection of the modular units and the method by which the components are to be assembled to provide the appropriate formworks so that walls, floors and ceilings can be poured.
The result is that one can go from an idealized concept of what the building should look like, to the specification of the particular modular formwork components usable to construct this building through the utilization of a series of method steps involving a particular ordering of the different types of information available from the construction documents. In this manner, not only can unlimited flexibility be provided to the architectural engineer or designer, he can be assured that the advantages of modular construction can be afforded to his design. This can be done in an exceedingly rapid fashion, once the architect and the engineer have specified the building that they wish to build. Through the utilization of the subject method, every building component specified by the architect and engineer can be transformed into a conforming set of modular formwork components, and the building constructed with the efficiencies afforded by the utilization of these modular formwork components.
As described in the aforementioned patents, buildings which heretofore have taken months to construct can now be constructed in a months time. The construction efficiencies are provided through the utilization of the modular formwork components, which in one embodiment are erected through the utilization of apertures in the panels, channels and braces, such that cumbersome and time consuming measurement techniques are eliminated.
In one embodiment, the final instructions from the subject method relate to the apertures which are utilized in the alignment procedures for the various formwork components, with the formwork components being aligned and positioned through the combination of the apertures and pegs involved. Thus, the instructions in one embodiment include specification of which of the apertures in a formwork component are to be connected to other apertures in an adjacent formwork component by the pegs; which apertures and pegs should be used and the location of the apertured components that make up the formworks.
In one embodiment, the instructions include the alphanumeric indication of which formwork components are to be co-located, colors of color-coded plugs and apertures, with numbers indicating position of matching formwork components. For instance, each panel may be given a separate identifying number, with each aperture in each panel being given an identifying number. An alignment channel may be given a particular identifying number with its apertures also having particular identifying numbers. The system for instruction is not limited to merely providing numbers for adjacent elements, but also can be color-coded as well as providing alphanumeric indices on the formwork components to permit rapid assembly.
In summary, a method is provided for specifying parameters for modular formworks from construction documents which define an original structure, in which the construction documents are either scanned or a CAD version is read out. From the scanned drawings or the CAD information, various elements of the structure to be built are identified and selected in an order specific to a particular modular construction system. After identification and selection, reference numerals are assigned for the selected parts or components, with the numbers representing a component of the building such as what floor is intended, walls, ceilings, and other structural components down to the placement of light switches, HVAC vents, drainage, sinks, and plumbing valves. Thereafter, the components defined by the numbering system are analyzed for discrepancies in the original design defined by the construction documents, and modifications are applied to account for dimensional discrepancies, drawing discrepancies and violations of particular building code guidelines. Thereafter, the dimensions of the various building components are revised to conform to the available modular units, whereupon instructions are generated as to how to build the original structure from the available modular components.